A man from Arkansas produced deadly poison on his property, with the intention of setting traps for intruders, was sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing biological agents, prosecutors said.
The U.S. District Attorney for Western Arkansas said in a statement that the man was Jason Kale Clampit, 44, of Winslow, Arkansas, who made his own Ricin, a poison extracted from Castor Bean, and was sentenced to 96 months in prison without the possibility of parole.
A citizen identified as Mr. Clampit’s sister informed the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in January 2024, saying Mr. Clampit was making Ricin and could have poisoned his mother with the substance in Winslow, according to court documents.
ricin (obvious rice flour) is a chemical present in castor beans that has been grown for its oil for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used castor oil for its moisturizing and laxative effects, and the toxicity of castor beans is known. Ricin is the waste product that extracts the remaining castor oil.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the 1940s, the U.S. military tried to use lisin as a possible war agent, and groups were accused of planning terrorist attacks with the substance.
“Exposure to even a small amount of ricin can be fatal,” CDC said.
According to court records, Mr. Cranpitt's sister told authorities that he had talked about knowing how to do plant extraction. His girlfriend also told authorities that he had heard podcasts about toxins and studied them online.
After Washington County authorities received tips, an investigation revealed that Mr. Cranpitt “actually, he produced Reissin in his residence in Winslow, Arkansas for the stated purpose of setting traps for the intruders”, according to a criminal lawsuit by U.S. prosecutors, Mr. Cranpit told his sister that he was concerned about the thief in the woods around his home. Winslow is a city in the Ozarks area in northwestern Arkansas with a population of about 344.
In January 2024, a federal search warrant on Mr. Cranpitt's property led to the capture of several items related to processing Ricin, including castor and coffee grinders, court records show.
Prosecutors said Mr. Clemt made a statement about the call from the prison after he was detained, instructing someone to dispose of the liquid ricin, which was contained in a camper's jar on his property.
After listening to the phone, FBI agents contacted the person directed by Mr. Cranpitt and found “cans containing processed ricin” in the trash can, prosecutors said.
The grand jury indicted Mr. Crapitt in March 2024, who pleaded guilty in October.
Prosecutors said the investigation showed that Mr. Crapitt “inadvertently contacted Reising, which made him sick.” It is not clear how Mr. Crapitt's mother was poisoned.
Mr. Cranpitt's attorney did not immediately respond to comment on Sunday. In a memorandum of sentencing, a public defender assigned to Mr. Cranpitt said he did not “confess a crime with the intention of causing the United States to harm the United States, commit terrorism or help foreign countries”.
The public defender added that Mr. Crapitt regrets his behavior and is seeking rehabilitation, medication and mental health treatment.
